


Embrace The Darkness

by Sanctify_Serenity



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Eventual Relationships, Interrogation, Possible Relationship, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2018-08-09 20:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7816690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanctify_Serenity/pseuds/Sanctify_Serenity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Name." </p>
<p>It wasn't a question. Sure they wanted him to state his name for them, but it wasn't a request. It wasn't optional. It was an order. Oh but if they knew him even in the slightest they would know just how much he loved taking orders. This had been going on for how long now? Hours? Days? And they hadn't gotten him to say his stupid name, so clearly continuing the same things would break him right? Wrong. He wouldn't break. Not if he could help it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Everyone!! 
> 
> So I have written a ton of fanfiction previously but have never shared any of them with anyone aside from a very select few. This is the very first I am actually putting out there. I definitely enjoy helpful advise, but please don't be too harsh.  
> I purposefully wrote this so that you don't know exactly who is the one in trouble at the beginning, but it does tell you by the very end. If you absolutely have to know before you read the whole fic, you may skip ahead, but in order to truly get the intended experience, i suggest just reading and hanging on for the ride.  
> This Can be considered a stand alone story if you want to end it here. But if you do end it here, our beloved hero-in-turmoil would be considered dead at the end of the story.  
> However! Have no fear! I am in the process of writing a chapter 2 for this. For those who wish to end it here, feel free. For those who want some more... it is on its way. 
> 
> So please enjoy and let me know what you think!  
> Thank you all for reading my story!

**"Name."**

It wasn't a question. Sure they wanted him to state his name for them, but it wasn't a request. It wasn't optional. It was an order. Oh but if they knew him even in the slightest they would know just how much he loved taking orders. This had been going on for how long now? Hours? Days? And they hadn't gotten him to say his stupid name, so clearly continuing the same things would break him right? Wrong. He wouldn't break. Not if he could help it. 

**"Name."**

He whimpered a little, instantly hating himself for letting that small sound escape. He hated the smug grin on the leader's face as he closed in on him yet again. Hated their crude remarks and nasty smell. Or was that him? Yeah at this point it very well could be him and he wouldn't doubt it in the slightest. He hissed in pain as an electric current shot through him from his right leg all the way through his upper torso. Pain erupting in his entire body, and showing clear as day in his eyes as he glared ahead at the bald-headed lead interrogator. 

**"Name."**

Man these guys couldn't take a hint could they? They weren't the brightest assholes on the planet, that was for sure. He wasn't telling them anything. He would rather die. Not even his name. Honestly at this point it was far more just the principle of the thing. He was not giving in to their demands. Not now, not ever. He sure as hell wasn't going to follow anyone else's script. Not even cuffed to a metal examination table, his shirt literally torn from his chest and his pants pulled off of him as well. Luckily enough for him, his boxer shorts were still on, but they didn't exactly offer much protection. 

His back arched off of the table, toes curling -- wait… when did they take off his shoes and socks? Well it really didn't matter all that much right now did it? He screamed, all manner of shame and self loathing at letting the pained noise escape not even registering this time around. He was beginning to see spots in his vision. Dark little clouds that blocked his vision as his head spun. It felt as though he was laying on a metal board that was continuously moving. Dipping from side to side and whirling around at breakneck speeds only to stop instantly in time for him to feel another bout of electricity shooting through his entire body. 

**"Name."**

Seriously? They were still on this? What the hell did they want from him? Why did they even want his stupid name anyway? Did they think it would be the key to breaking him down and opening him up to all the other crap that they thought he would be able to clue them in on? Or maybe they just all had some kind of collective name-fetish. _'Yeah…. That's probably it…'_ The thought crossed his mind as he tried to block out what was actually happening to him. They saw him and thought that he has some weird exotic My Little Pony type of a name like Flubber-nut-Pancake or some shit…. Yeah okay he was officially delirious from the pain. Hits were coming now. Though after the few really long bursts of electricity coursing through him he didn't know if he could really feel them. It was either that or it hurt so badly that he felt the smallest touch as if it were a punch to his stomach. Immense pain or beginning to feel numb. Either way his mind certainly wasn't working very much anymore. 

**"Name."**

He screamed bloody murder. Those… whoever… whatever they were, not only put the electricity back on his body, but they attached it to the metal table, making it so that everything, every inch of him could feel the immense pain coursing through him. How did they even expect him to respond when they were doing this to him? Or did they finally figure out that he would never give in and tell them anything? Were they just torturing him for fun now? 

What did they expect to get out of him? What was the purpose of all of this? It didn't make any sense to him. None of it did. He wondered briefly if everything was okay at home. Their little house, dirty and run down, but still… Were the others okay? _'Yeah… they're probably just fine.'_ he went through a mini checklist in his head then. Hey, it was something to get his mind off of the torture at least. _'No cigarette butts in beer cans. Check.'_ He chuckled a little at that one, no doubt making his captors think that he was completely insane. He couldn't help it. The thought brought his companion to mind. _'Companion hm? I don't think we're really that anymore… best friends definitely… something else.. Hm I guess I'll have to ask him about it when I get out of here…'_ He felt his eyelids growing heavy. Nearly praying for the sweet darkness of sleep to overtake him. Just… not more pain. Sleep. Then he could dream of him. Of his friends however strange and annoying they could be. He could escape this place at least in a way…

He screamed again. His eyes snapping wide open. White hot pain erupting through him. They put the electricity in a very… very sensitive place. The inside of his upper thigh. Well… he wouldn't be walking right for a while. Now they graduated from just touching him with the electric rods, they were stabbing the electric rods into his body and letting the currents just travel through him. Double the wounds, double the pain, double the effect perhaps. Anything seems worth a try to a bunch of sadistic assholes with nothing better to do than to poke and prod and demand to know a simple guy's name over and over again. The spikes were over two inches long and they stabbed them into his flesh fully. 

**"Name."**

Was that all they were going to say? They were just going to ask the same stupid thing and shock him and beat the tar out of him until he gave in? Was that their plot? His one hand gripped tighter around the one small object he'd been able to hide from them, gripping it until blood started to slowly drip to the floor as it bit into the flesh of his palm. 

**"Name."**

His face was wet. Why? He wasn't crying was he? He couldn't be breaking this much in front of these simple minded little jerks… could he? He never cried. Ever. He shouldn't be fucking crying now. A crunch was heard and more blood dripped from his already bloody hand. His back arching off of the metal table as the electric currents raced through him. _'How much more of this before I keel over? I doubt they'll stop just to make me feel better…. Maybe to keep me from dying just so I can't escape.'_ Of coarse he wouldn't be able to escape this crap even in death. He was never that lucky. Never had been. 

**"Name."**

The time between the question-demand and the torture was getting shorter. 'fucktard-baldy' his own juvenile nickname for the leader of the group. The one doing the majority of the demands and tortures must have been getting annoyed and impatient with his lack of answers. Refusal to submit. 

He couldn't see anymore. Everything was a blur. He didn't have the energy to scream or cry out anymore, not even when they stabbed the electric rods into his chest, not even with the most sensitive areas of his body being tortured brutally. Pulled, pinched, cut, zapped… everything. He couldn't even scream. His hand merely hung limp at the edge of the table, barely holding onto the small round object that fit perfectly in his palm. Normally smooth and flat and perfectly round aside from the one little piece that stuck out. Part of the design. Now though it was clearly cracked, the glass piece having cut into this palm.

A few more hits came, one particularly painful blow to the stomach before the leader sighed and ordered the electric stakes be removed from his body and promptly dropped on a table a few feet from his own. The leader sighed seeing that he wasn't going to be giving any response at all, let alone giving in to their torture, he ordered everyone out. 

**"Fucking Halfbreed."**

He murmured before spitting at the redheaded man cuffed to the table, nearly unconscious then he left, turning off the lights and leaving him in complete darkness. 

He looked up at the closed door through swollen and barely opened tired eyes before smirking just a little bit. 

_'It's Gojyo…. Jackass..'_ He thought, as a smartass response to the closed door. Feeling it was safe to think his name now. In a very 'fuck you' fashion, but not going to speak it aloud. Not even now when they had gone. 

_'C'mon Gojyo… you gotta think up a way outta this mess. They're gone… gotta… gotta move… get outta here….'_ He thought, even as his eyes slid shut and the pain eased, darkness overtaking him completely. The monocle still held lightly in his hand.


	2. Darkness Consumes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I can't lose him. I can't lose him like I lost her."
> 
> How utterly selfish he was, but there was little that he could, or would do about it. He had allowed himself to be selfish again and to become close with his friends, Gojyo especially.
> 
> Gojyo is missing and his friends are stopping at nothing to find him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello once again everyone! Sorry that this update took so long! With real life issues and then the holidays I got A: busy beyond belief, and B: Insanely distracted. BUT! I am already working on Chapter 3 which is going to come out a LOT sooner than this one did. (Preferably in a couple weeks) And i have a few new stories in the making as well. So please if you're interested check them out! I should have their first chapters posted in a few days. As always i'm happy to read your comments! I'd love to hear what you have to say and get any constructive criticism you all have. Thank you all for reading the first chapter and i hope you enjoyed it. I hope you'll like this one just as much as the story unfolds. 
> 
> Thanks a ton!

**"I can't lose him. I can't lose him like I lost her."**

How utterly selfish he was, but there was little that he could, or would do about it. He had allowed himself to be selfish again and to become close with his friends, Gojyo especially. 

They had been through so much together. Very few could say that they were anything but made for one another. Destined to be a group. The thought brought a smile to his lips. Destiny. What a strange and fickle thing. If his friends were to hear that word he would instantly hear a mix of laughter, huffed annoyance and protests about how no one tells them what to do and how they all write their own scripts. Destiny apparently has nothing to do with it. However… It may just be his own speculation, but he couldn't help but to notice that when any one of them was in danger the other three would drop everything and rush to their aid. There would always be the usual guise of anger or frustration masking their worry. After all Genjo Sanzo could never truly worry about anyone. Not outwardly anyway. And because they were all with Sanzo they seemed to just follow his lead in that regard in their own ways. 

Right now though, if you looked at him you would clearly be able to see just how truly worried he was. Worry, fear, both mixed right in with the absolute anger and rage that was fueling him at this point. Keeping him moving forward. He was struggling through town after town looking for any sign of the redhead. 

**"Excuse me?"** A smile forced onto his lips. It was surprisingly easy at this point to smile like this, when all he wanted to do was scream and he knew that there was no way he would get what he was after if he wasn't being polite. More flies with honey and all that. 

**"Like I said sweetheart. We make a point not to notice half-breeds and that-"** she spat out the word as if it would burn her tongue. **"-Is exactly what you're describing."**

It was the same thing in every town. No matter who he spoke with or what he offered to pay them for any information regarding his best friend, no one would tell him anything. Even if they did know something about him, He doubted they would have shared the information. Half-breeds were becoming slightly more common knowledge, but no less hated. Stupid fucking superstitions. 

**"Who."** He clarified while getting into Jeep, strapping his seat belt and sighing as he gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary. Knuckles were white as paper with the force of the grip. 

**"I'm sorry Dear?"** She wasn't apologizing. The sweet looking woman and the small crowd around her now were not apologizing to him. She didn't even understand his point. 

**"Who. He is a person, not a thing. You said 'what' which indicates a thing. I would thank you for your time, but because you've wasted mine, I don't feel particularly bad at all about wasting yours."** He said before starting up the jeep and letting the back wheels spin, throwing dirt on the woman and the crowd around her before speeding away. 

Those assholes. They didn't even see him as a person. Just because of the color of his hair and eyes. Just because of who his parents were. Just because of things that were completely out of his control? What the hell was wrong with people? And yet he knew well that this was only part of the reason for the sorrow behind his redheaded friend's masked cheer and bravado. 

This was so very wrong. Why would someone take Gojyo? He could understand why someone might want to kill him, but take him? And it had to be that he was taken, and alive at that. There were signs of a struggle near where he had gone on a walk. Near the stream they were camping by. He had made it far enough away before he was attacked that none of them had heard or sensed anything wrong, but when they awoke the next morning and Gojyo had still not come back, Hakkai had gone looking for him and found the signs of a struggle. _'Gojyo, I will not fail you… like I failed her…'_ his heart clenched as he thought about her. Or was it because of him? At this point… it was probably both. 

He felt like he was being consumed by this never-ending fight to find his best friend. It had been days… a week now.. Wait… how long was it? Hakkai, typically the most organized of the Sanzo party was beginning to lose track. _'That isn't good. I need to keep my facts straight. No one is going to have any information if I can't even tell them how long ago he disappeared.'_ Hakkai took a deep breath, watching the road as he drove. The next town was a long way off. He had to keep his eye out for anything red between here and there. 

This was so completely dark and evil. Whatever it was… he didn't even want to believe that someone had managed to overpower Gojyo. Sha Gojyo. His friend wasn't some weakling who gave in, in a fight. Gojyo would rather bite off his own tongue than submit to anyone. He knew that. So…. Something had to have happened to incapacitate the redhead in order to make it so that he was dragged off so easily. There was a fight. A tree held the burn marks from the shakujo's chain being wrapped around it. Something big or at least something heavy or strong had been caught by the half-breed, and he was trying to hold it still… at a distance from what Hakkai could gather from the same marks on a different tree a few yards away. The brunette could easily see the scene playing out, Gojyo had the assailant trapped between the two trees by his shakujo, not willing to let him, or her, get closer to him. And was swinging his sickle, ready for the attack. There were the footprints of more attackers however. Possibly having been hidden until Gojyo was distracted? It was difficult to tell at that point. The footprints in the sand and dirt were scuffed. Gojyo had clearly been fighting with the one or ones, there may have been more with how deeply his chain had dug into the tree bark in different directions, for a long time. Meaning that he was tired, worn down from battle and possibly thinking that they were the only ones around… And then he was vastly outnumbered. 

**"Damn it."** he cursed under his breath as he continued driving. Thinking about how his friend had clearly fought for his life and how close they had all been… yet none of them had even heard him. Or the struggle. He hadn't come to help. None of them had. Now here he was, searching through all manner of forest and desert alike just trying to get some hint as to where his best friend might be. It was driving him completely mad knowing that he could have helped, should have helped, and yet hadn't even known that anything was wrong at all. Just like with Kanan. **"Gojyo… I'm sorry. Please just hang in there. I'll find you.** He murmured before patting the dash board. **"Come on Hakuryuu. We have to go faster. Lets find him.**

As the sun set in the distance, making the landscape impossible to tell one shape from another, It was completely overwhelming to him. It would be nearing on impossible to continue searching the expansive forested area for Gojyo in the pitch black darkness of night. But he had to press on. Enough time had been lost already. He needed to find his best friend, there was simply no other choice in the matter at all. He had to let this darkness consume him and figure out a way to work along side it to hopefully find the redhead. 

**"I'm coming Gojyo. Just hang on."**


	3. Through the Haze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Embrace nothing. If you meet the Buddha kill the buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. It is only by this that you can gain true enlightenment…" He sighed and looked out the window. It was dark out now. Hakkai wasn't back yet. Gojyo still missing and Goku… the soft snoring from the other side of the room gave way to the tell tale signs that he was fast asleep. 'Master… if I am to truly embrace nothing, then what of them? Should I only keep them at a distance? Cast them out completely? You told me that I would find him one day, that I would hear his voice. That I should embrace him. And yet… wouldn't that go against the very nature of your teachings?' His brows knit together a little and he exhaled the smoke that he had gathered in his lungs from his Marlboro, looking over at Goku as he slept. 
> 
> (( So, Sanzo Contemplates things and gets more confusion than answers, While they wait for the time they're supposed to meet up with Hakkai. Meanwhile... darkness strikes again only this time, Sanzo and Goku are the intended targets. Let's see how they handle it hm? ))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO SO sorry for the late update… I feel like I'm saying that a lot lately. Real life is kicking my butt a LOT lately. But! I promise that this isn't dying out ANY time soon. This story is just getting started and I'm actively working on it. So now we check in with Sanzo and Goku. Next chapter we'll see how Gojyo's fairing. Or maybe we'll see how the hunt is fairing with Hakkai. Who can truly tell? :'3 Please let me know in the comments what you'd like to see or if you have any questions. 
> 
> Also, I don't have anyone proofreading things aside from myself. I make a valiant attempt to sweep through each chapter before I upload it, but I know I miss some things. If you'd like to give me some constructive critism I would be completely grateful for the help in making my story better. (and that goes for all of my fics.) 
> 
> Thank you all and I hope you like this chapter!

This was ridiculous. Why on earth the stupid kappa couldn't just do as he was told and go to bed… why he simply had to run off and get himself into trouble… it was all beyond him. The stupid water sprite should have just done what the rest of them were doing and gone to bed. If he had, none of this would have happened. If he'd just done what he was told… What _he_ had told him to do… Hakkai wouldn't be practically tearing his hair out. Goku wouldn't be more moody than normal, and he himself… He wouldn't be feeling this strange tightness in his chest. A… loss that he hadn't felt for a very long time. Embrace nothing. Wasn't that supposed to be what his master had taught him so long ago? Then why was it so hard to think of these people he was so often surrounded by, being gravely injured or worse, killed? Being lost forever, like his master was. What would he do if he lost Gojyo? What about Hakkai? What… what about Goku? He knew that for the majority of his preteen and adult life he was alone. He had chosen that life after his master died. Solitude was better than the pain of losing those that you cared about. But… now that he had once again grown accustomed to the energy and life of the three in his party… what would it be like to suddenly not have them? Even the loss of one upset the delicate balance that they maintained from day to day. Even the one day that Hakuryuu had been missing, it was an upset to their little group. 

Would it be the same if they weren't on this little mission from heaven? He found himself wondering as he sat in the hotel room, newspaper held up and propped against his knee. A cigarette hanging limply from his lips as he looked absent mindedly at the paper. His thoughts not on the daily headlines or the death and destruction that they themselves were sent to stop. No… his mind was elsewhere. On his party, on the redhead and the two brunettes that he couldn't believe that he was… 

What was he doing with them anyway? Was he perhaps growing attached? **"Embrace nothing. If you meet the Buddha kill the buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. It is only by this that you can gain true enlightenment…"** He sighed and looked out the window. It was dark out now. Hakkai wasn't back yet. Gojyo still missing and Goku… the soft snoring from the other side of the room gave way to the tell tale signs that he was fast asleep. _'Master… if I am to truly embrace nothing, then what of them? Should I only keep them at a distance? Cast them out completely? You told me that I would find him one day, that I would hear his voice. That I should embrace him. And yet… wouldn't that go against the very nature of your teachings?'_ His brows knit together a little and he exhaled the smoke that he had gathered in his lungs from his Marlboro, looking over at Goku as he slept. 

Letting out a soft huff he shifted in his spot on the windowsill, deciding to move his attention outside instead. He was thinking too much. It was best not to dwell on these things. _'Its just going to drive me crazy with absolutely no point to it.'_

The priest took a long drag from his cigarette, trying not to think about how angry the sky looked, or how Hakkai was still out there making a futile effort to search for their companion, or how Goku wasn't quite acting himself ever since Gojyo was taken. He tried not thinking about his master, despite the clouds rolling in and the moisture in the air. 

He could feel it coming before it even presented itself. Fog. An unnatural haze that was spreading through the darkness, doubling the dangers for Hakkai's search and the distraction for Sanzo himself. This… probably wasn't a very good thing. If it had been a normal thing, he wouldn't have paid it any mind. He was no meteorologist, he didn't usually care what the weather did. But this… there was something causing this haze, and it wasn't just the heat and moisture in the air. 

**"Goku. It's time to get up."**

**"Hm? What's going on Sanzo? Is it breakfast time already?"** Came the innocent reply as Goku sat up slowly, waking from such a deep and comfortable sleep. Of coarse that would be his first question… even with all that was going on. It was true, he was bothered by Gojyo's disappearance, and he was acting strangely, Sanzo could tell. Though this… sleeping deeply and waking to immediately ask for food… this was a small comfort of normality. Thank you Goku for bringing that much. But for now, they had bigger things to worry about. Normalcy would have to wait. 

**"No Goku. We're leaving. Get your things and lets go."** Sanzo was already up and gathering the few things that he had brought into the inn's room. He didn't want to lose any of their supplies, but if it was their things versus them… he would leave any of their supplies behind to get him and Goku out of there. It didn't take long for Goku to sense the danger in the air around them, just enough time for him to yawn and stretch, his eyes widening and his back and shoulders stiffening before he looked around the room, assessing their situation. 

Sanzo had to hand it to Goku, as goofy as he may be, he was always on point when it came to a fight. If he had to pick anyone to be by his side in a battle, it would be Goku. Once Goku had gathered up their minimalistic bags, Sanzo cocked his gun, fully ready for a fight and placed his hands on the windowsill. If they went out through the main door they would only be including innocent bystanders in their fight… it seemed this was their way out. **"Stay close Goku."** Seeing the affirmative nod from the younger male he took a breath and glared out the window. It looked like they'd have to meet Hakkai a little earlier than planned, and fight through the haze to do so. 

He opened the window, an unnatural fog immediately seeping into the room.


	4. Smiling in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gojyo is brought to a new facility. Where are they going and will Hakkai get to him in time? Will he even make it long enough to get there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience! Here is chapter 4!! I hope you all enjoy it. More is unraveling and Gojyo is in even deeper shit than before! Please let me know what you think in the comments! I love getting your feedback and hearing what you guys have to say~

He was awakened by clothes being thrown at him. What was going on? He was shackled to a fucking table… how was he supposed to put on clothes when he was strapped down? Wait… clothes? Was he really getting clothes? To wear? Was he going to get out of here? Away from the torture and the pain? _'Please… Please let that be true. Damn I want out of here so bad..'_ His mind was so fuzzy he could barely get coherent thoughts to form. **"W-Wha.."**

It was then that the shackles on his wrists and ankles were released with a snap. A sound that, if he had the energy to do so, he would have flinched. **"Put those on. You have three minutes or else we're taking you as you are."** The strange, grumpy blond hair blue eyed man barked out the order. This blond man… He reminded Gojyo of someone. Actually, he reminded Gojyo of a few someones combined, but for the life of him he couldn't even remember who they were right now. And that felt wrong somehow. He should know who those people were. He should know. They were a part of him too in a sense, weren't they? **"Come on. Time's ticking away here. Either get those clothes on, or we're taking you naked."**

Oh yeah.…he was completely nude now wasn't he? Well that fucking sucked. Oh well. No time to feel the shame right now, he had clothes and he had the option of putting them on, no matter how scratchy the plain tan material was. It would cover him. It was a layer of defense against whatever the hell these assholes were planning next. Gojyo faced yet another hurdle however when he tried to sit up to put those clothes on. He could barely move. Every fiber of his being hurt. It wasn't just the dull ache that a good workout provided or the sting that a fresh wound caused by a spar or a tough battle. No, this hurt was deep and true to his very core. It felt as though his very soul had been injured so severely that even breathing took more energy than he had to offer. His eyes were swollen to the point where he could barely see out of them. His hair was filthy, matted with blood, only a few shades darker than his natural hair color, and dirt and various other things that he didn't even want to think about. He had deep gashes that had been sewn up expertly while he was unconscious and puncture wounds that were now at least cleaned out so that they wouldn't be infected. Taking stock of his wounds a normal person would be horrified to see what had been done to them. Gojyo however? He'd been through hell all his life. They'd have to do a lot worse than just physical torture to break him. 

Summoning up energy that he truly didn't have to expend, he pulled himself shakily up into a seated position on the metal table he'd been strapped down to for days now. His muscles protesting the movement going nearly unnoticed due to the rest of his body's current pains. He hated that his arms shook as he lifted the shirt up over his head. He hated that he was too weak to stand up and put the pants on. Because when the shirt was on and he was ready for the pants, the blond man came over to help steady him. There seemed to be no ill intent in that action, simply helping to steady him. _'Damn it… That's almost worse than if he kicked me over.'_

The blond male gave Gojyo a look up and down, assessing his wounds and his fitness to move. **"You can move. Come on, let's go."** He remained beside the half-breed's side in case Gojyo's legs gave out on him, but he was no longer supporting him. Gojyo walked on wobbly legs, eventually getting his bearings and slowly moving through the corridor of what seemed like an old bunker of sorts. What was this place? Where the hell was he even? He didn't exactly know, nor did it really matter all too much now that they seemed to be moving him somewhere else. 

Once out beyond the corridor, he was brought into the sunlight which both blinded him and seemed to give him at least some renewed energy. He was outside. Actually physically outside again. But why? A quick look around himself proved that they weren't releasing him. After all, there were at least twenty armed youkai standing at the ready if he chose to run or to attack. _'Of coarse. Baldy is here leading the pack of assholes.'_ He thought with a grimace on his lips. The bald man, the ring-leader came over to him, iron shackles in his hands. 

**"Well now. Are we going to behave ourselves today?"** The shit-eating grin was nauseating to the redhead. Gojyo didn't respond aside from simply glaring at the man. He wasn't about to give him the satisfaction by responding to him. In any way whatsoever. **"Still being stubborn hm? Well that will change soon."** He grabbed Gojyo's hands, slapping the iron shackles onto his wrists so that only about six inches could of movement could be between them. Gojyo tugged lightly at the bonds he now found himself in. They were just further proof that he was not being let go, that this was just further torment. **"Keep him in your sight. Don't even think about trying to get away from us. We're moving and you're moving with us."**

Moving? They were moving? What the hell did that even mean? It was at that point, with a shove to his shoulder that the whole gang started moving. He kept his head down mostly, looking through the curtain of red as he had as a child growing up. Trying to assess at least some things about his situation. _'…so what do I know? Moving bases? Are we not coming back here again? That seems like it. They each have a pack, and the tire tracks in the dirt that we're following seems like it would be from wagons carrying equipment. These youkai are smart. They're following someone's orders. I wouldn't be surprised if even Baldy was under someone's thumb. …Kougaiji maybe? But… that doesn't seem like something he'd do. He's better than this. And Blondie over here is sticking to me like glue. Do they think that he needs to be my personal escort or some shit?'_

It was at that point that he caught something that he hadn't before. The entire time that he had been here, he had never noticed this one simple yet seemingly important fact. _'They're… All of them are youkai. It really could be a set up from Kougaiji if they work for him. But…. Wait were they always youkai? I could have sworn at some point a few of them were human… but maybe not. Maybe I'm just going crazy. There's no way that they were human a few days ago and are youkai now… What the fuck is the point of all this?'_

He was brought out of his thoughts by a few of the youkai talking among themselves. Grumbling really, about why they had to move to a different base and what that meant for their operation. This was it. He had to listen, pay attention as closely as he could and get as much information as possible if he was going to have any chance of getting out of here. 

**"The priest and the kid are being taken care of now."** One of the youkai, a man with dark brown hair and nearly lime green eyes, whispered to his buddy. Another youkai, short, and wearing a bandana on his head to keep his hair out of his eyes. 

The shorter male with the bandana seemed to sigh. Be it in relief or exasperation, Gojyo couldn't tell. **"Katsumi is handling them right? Then it'll be fine. Why are we heading out now? He's clearly not ready yet. He's still combative and refuses to cooperate. If we introduce him into the-"**

**"I know Mochi. I know. But that's exacty why we need to move out now."** Green eyes got an angry look then. Practically growling as they continued to walk along with the rest of the group. **" The other one is getting close. We can't risk having him find him at this stage. Its too early…"**

He should have kept listening. He should have found some more useful information in their conversation. But hearing that, he couldn't concentrate anymore no matter how hard he tried. _'Hakkai? Hakkai's getting close? He's looking for me…'_

The younger youkai's voice interrupted his thoughts. And all hope instantly crashed down around him. If they were masking his scent and covering their tracks, taking so many precautions to make certain that Hakkai wouldn't be able to follow them… He was doomed from the start. 

He had to do something. Hakkai was close. Close enough to make his captors nervous. He had to get away from these assholes and find Hakkai. It seemed impossible. His body hurt so much all over, he had very little strength left and could barely walk… how could he fight through these fuckers and run? _'Well… Who's the weakest here? Other than me. That's my best shot. I gotta pick smart and move fast. Otherwise they'll all be on my ass.'_ He kept his head lowered slightly hiding his eyes behind the curtain of red hair. Using that to hide where he was looking. 

Finally he decided on his target. The medic of the group. The one who was walking along beside him and had initially gotten him out of his prison and had given him clothing that very same day. He felt a little bad almost seeing as he was the only one out of the bunch who had shown him even the slightest form of kindness during his captivity. Even if it was just healing his wounds so that he wouldn't die while they tortured him some more. But he had to get away from these people and find his best friend. He had to make every effort possible to get away. 

Because he was the slowest of them all, and the medic was the one walking along beside him, He watched as the others made it just a little bit farther ahead. Not too far, only a couple of feet, but it was enough. He took a shakily deep breath, steadying his resolve, before he grabbed the medic and tackled him off of the clearing that they were traveling on and into the bushes on the side of the road. He managed to get a few good hits in with his bound fists, splitting his lip open before one of the other youkai with a bigger build came over and yanked him off of the medic by his hair, dragging him back to the center of the group. 

**"Well now….That wasn't very smart. Now, You're going to walk, and we're going to watch you very closely, and you're going to behave. And if you try anything again, we're gonna pull off the road for a bit of fun before we get to our destination. Got it?"** Baldy was back in his face whispering threateningly, his breath stinging his eyes as he smirked with the semi fear in Gojyo's eyes. **"Good boy. Now, lets get moving. We'll work on your behavior once we arrive."**

Gojyo was dragged along the way, once again beside the medic who just nodded to the others to tell them that he was alright. But now however, the others were walking in a tighter group around him. There was no hope of getting away now. 

But the thing that no one was paying attention to, all six hours on foot being tossed around and shoved to keep despite not being able to see straight… he had a smile on his face. 


	5. Distortions In the Mist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanzo and Goku find themselves in a mess of trouble in the thick fog outside of the inn they were staying at. Will they be able to get through it and find Hakkai? They needed to get to Hakkai and continue their search for Gojyo. He'd been missing for far too long, and now youkai were after them as well? This was hardly a coincidence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!! I told you that this story wasn't dead!! Here's an update for you! I'm (again) sorry it took so long. New job and holidays make things interesting. But enough excuses out of me. I am back and eager to get chapters out to you guys again and Definitely eager to hear your feedback. Also, I'll be updating this story again On the 12th. That way you guys have a set time to look forward to an update. :'3 I promise!! 
> 
> Random thought of the day… Who's your favorite Saiyuki character and why? Let me know in the comments. I'm just naturally curious (I know.. Its dangerous) and would like to know. XD

Their feet hit the pavement outside the inn's window, a deep frown on Sanzo's lips. He didn't like this. This fog was thick and heavy, incredibly dark. Oppressive almost. There was little to no way that this was a natural occurrence. **"Stay close Goku. We're already missing one person. I don't want to have to search through this bullshit for you too."** His words were harsh, as always, but Goku simply smiled and nodded. 

**"Yeah, okay."** Honestly the youngest didn't want to get too far from Sanzo either. He could feel the 'something' wrong with this place too, though he didn't know what exactly it was. He couldn't place the darkness surrounding them and couldn't put a name to it. With a disgruntled look and a nod of his head, Sanzo signaled that they should be going. So naturally Goku followed. He remained close to his side all the while, and for hours they walked. 

And walked.

And walked. 

**"Sanzo…I'm tired. And hungry. We've been walking forever… When are we gonna get to Hakkai?"**

Said priest sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose, his frustration evident. Goku wasn't wrong however. They had been walking around for what felt like hours without the slightest sign of Hakkai, nor any trace of him or their long lost redhead. **"Hm…"** he frowned looking around. It was nearly impossible to see anything around them, the fog was so thick. What was this? What was the point in setting a fog around them? As clearly this was no natural fog, it had to be done by a youkai power. Just to keep them dazed and confused? Perhaps. But then shouldn't an attack be coming sometime soon? They’ve been wandering for hours… why has nothing happened so far? 

Sanzo coughed a few times and his frown deepened. Was he getting sick? Or maybe it was just the nicotine that had been taking over his lungs since he was a young teenager. Chain smoking wasn't good for your health. He knew that. After all, Hakkai lectured him and Gojyo enough to drill it into their heads far before now. He didn't have coughing fits yet though unless he was ill or wounded though, so he continued smoking just the same as he always had. Perhaps this was the cause of his current tightness of chest as well? 

He was brought out of his thoughts though when a cough came from Goku, the priest's eyes widening. Goku didn't get sick. Goku didn't smoke. The smoke from his and Gojyo's cigarettes should affect him far before it would ever begin to affect Goku in any way. So that left a youkai attack. But what would cause them both to share these symptoms? Tightness of chest, trouble breathing, coughing… 

The fog. 

**"Goku…something isn't right."** The priest and the chimp both were brought out of their thoughts by pin knives being thrown at them with expert precision. _'This is why they waited. The fog affects us physically… they were wearing us down, and wanted us to begin to feel the effects of the fog and get ill… then they would attack so that we couldn't defend ourselves to the fullest extent… Damn I should have noticed. I'm getting lazy.'_ He thought as both himself and Goku dodged the attack. Goku jumping up and then to the right, Sanzo himself rolling away from the attack swiftly on the ground. No time to collect themselves however. More knives came flying in at them. Dozens at a time each one needing to be dodged. 

_'What's more… What the hell is this? It isn't like Youkai to typically take a back seat approach in their attacks. Not this close to the minus wave. Is there some deeper plan here? Are these youkai able to think clearly enough to concoct such an in depth plan of action and carry it out? None of this makes any sense. I suppose there are some youkai Like Kougaiji and his group that are able to maintain sanity but… they are more the exception and less the rule. This whole situation is off. And annoying. I don't like it.'_

He shook his head, the fog was messing with him. He couldn't think clearly.  
**"Sanzo! Watch it!"** Goku yelped as one of Sanzo's bullets grazed his arm. Steam risiing from the scratch there. 

_'The steam… its going straight up… there's no wind. Has there been even a slight breeze this whole time?'_ The thought occurred to him with a deepened frown as he grabbed his arm and dragged him with, running as quickly as possible and trying to get away from the onslaught of attacks. More coughing. It was getting harder to breathe, and running wasn't helping. No matter where he shot he couldn't find a target, so they had to get out of there. The fog was too thick. It seemed that Although they couldn't see any physical forms of a person around them, the youkai attacking them could see them just perfectly. Their only option was to retreat and make a plan. 

Finally they found a place to sit and attempt to catch their breath, muffled coughs coming from both of them. Hiding beneath a fallen tree near a stream they both panted and took respy breaths, away from the daggers and pin knives being thrown at them constantly they were able to think. 

**"Sanzo…"**

**"Goku… Do you notice anything strange about this place?"** Sanzo's voice, while tired and rspy was concentrated and deadly serious. A hint to Goku that he needed to pay close attention. 

Goku thought for a moment, looking around the place and frowned. **"You know… now that you mention it, yeah. There's no smells here. Like the grass and the dirt… even the stream. It isn't even making the sound of water."** He looked up at Sanzo then, a look of confusion and slight fear in those golden eyes. **"What the hell's going on Sanzo?"**

Immediately they both began to search their environment while still staying beneath the cover of the log they were sitting beneath. They started looking for any disturbances, anything that might be out of place. Finally Goku pointed at what appeared to be part of the sky, just over and to the right of where they were sitting. It looked like clouds that were being sucked in on themselves creating a hole in the sky of sorts. **"There?"** Sanzo nodded, Aiming his gun and ignoring his hazy vision, shot that one spot three times… just for good measure. 

There was a shake to the world around them, trees and grass disappearing, making way for walls and a roof. They were suddenly back in the inn's room, both sitting beneath the table by the open window, that fog still present and seeping in the window and coating the floor around them. **"An illusion? All wa-"** Goku broke off to cough into his sleeve. **"Was all of that an illusion? We never even left the damn room?"**

Sanzo sighed, reloading his gun and placing an unlit cigarette between his lips. **"It appears so. Now lets go find the bastard who's bright idea this was."** Sanzo was not pleased… and it showed in the scowl on his face. 

They made it less than three steps after they'd gotten out from under the table before Goku frowned and grabbed onto Sanzo's sleeve, his golden eyes wide, the color draining from his cheeks. **"Oh, yep this is the real world again alright… Sanzo I smell gunpowder… Lots of it."**

Sanzo's eyes widened. **"Run Goku!"**

The explosion took out not only the inn, but the two buildings on either side of it. **"Hee hee. That's two down. One to go."** A demon with long waist length white and black streaked hair and silver eyes stood atop the chimney of a building two blocks from the initial explosion. He laughed, the sound a dark cackle before he ran off, the fog disappearing with him. 


	6. A Glimmer of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakkai was going insane. He couldn't describe this feeling in any other way. He was going absolutely insane looking for his absent best friend and being constantly unable to find him. Insanity was tearing away at his mind and making him little more than a puppet blindly going through the frantic motions of searching from one increasingly frustrating little town to another all in vain in seemed. The brunette was truly lost without his redhead and he was nearing giving up completely. No matter how much it pained him, he didn't know what to do anymore. He was about ready to go on a rampage and slaughter everyone in sight… and his ear cuffs were perfectly in tact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello~ 
> 
> Back again with another chapter for you guys! I hope you're still enjoying it because there is MUCH more to come. And what's this... some actual good news in this chapter for the Sanzo party? That's almost unheard of! But anyway~ Here's chapter 6! Please let me know what you think. And also, Because I really enjoy being a nosy little writer, Which of the boy's weapons/powers do you like the most? If you could have one what would it be? Leave a comment and let me know! 
> 
> Also, I'll update this story with the next chapter on 6/9/2017. There's a lot in store for our boys and a few surprises coming in this next chapter. Hope you'll stick around. :)

Hakkai was going insane. He couldn't describe this feeling in any other way. He was going absolutely insane looking for his absent best friend and being constantly unable to find him. Insanity was tearing away at his mind and making him little more than a puppet blindly going through the frantic motions of searching from one increasingly frustrating little town to another all in vain in seemed. The brunette was truly lost without his redhead and he was nearing giving up completely. No matter how much it pained him, he didn't know what to do anymore. He was about ready to go on a rampage and slaughter everyone in sight… and his ear cuffs were perfectly in tact. 

**"I can't… I can't lose him…"**

Hakkai dropped to his knees, defeat washing over him. The feeling a foreign and disgusting one. None of their little team were used to being on the losing side of anything. Any strike against them was certain to be paid back twice fold, and any battle lost was only ever temporary. This however… it felt very much solidified in its completeness. This loss…. It was definitely a loss that they were all experiencing. Losing Gojyo? As much as he and Goku fought, as much as he and Sanzo didn't seem to get along, as much as he nagged at the redhead for little things or got annoyed with him… They all enjoyed his company if they were going to be honest with themselves. And He truly did complete their team. Without him there was an obvious emptiness that no one could truly stand. 

**"I have to go back."** He still had friends. He still had people who needed him. For whatever reason, he couldn't tell. Clearly he was no good at helping his friends or family survive. Those that he was closest to always died… or worse. Why they always seemed to trust him, depend on him… love him back… He would never truly understand.

Shaking his head to clear it, he sighed softly. **"Enough of this now. Its time to get back. I have to tell Sanzo that I couldn't find him. After all… I'm certain that he and Goku have waited quite long enough."** He couldn't find him… those words burnt on his tongue like a fire and twisted in his stomach as though he were going to vomit. And yet he was saying them. He couldn't find his best friend, or any trace of him at all. It was as if Gojyo had all but disappeared. But they couldn't just stay here and search forever… could they? After all… they still had a mission to complete. He couldn't expect the priest to put it off for their sakes too much longer. 

And so, with a heavy heart he began to make his way back towards the inn that he had left Sanzo and Goku in. He ended up going through three separate towns, across varying countryside and terrain, and still.. Nothing. He didn't head back the same way that he had come although completely downtrodden, he kept his senses open. If there was any sign of Gojyo, he didn't want to miss it. He had no idea how whoever took Gojyo managed to get him out of the area without leaving any trail or scent. Not even Gojyo's scent was left anywhere. There was literally no way to track his best friend. 

he was on his way back when a glimmer of something in the bushes and a very very faint scent caught his attention. This wasn't Gojyo's scent, so he almost overlooked it completely. However, when he got closer to the metal object hidden in the bushes… he was so extremely glad that he hadn't. 

**"...Gojyo…"** he murmured, his hands hovering over the weapon that he had stumbled upon. Gojyo's Shakoujo was laying in the grass amongst the bushes. **"What happened to you Gojyo? Why is your weapon here? You… Why not call it back to you?"** he thought about this for a moment, the words leaving his lips on their own accord before he sighed, inspecting the sickle and handle. There was blood, just a small amount on the blade, and it wasn't Gojyo's blood.

**"I understand now."**

**"What do you understand?"** The voice that appeared behind him was unexpected, but nowhere near unwelcomed. 

**"Yeah Hakkai! What're you… Is that Gojyo's!?"** The second voice joining him was equally as unexpected, and just as welcomed. 

**"Yes. I believe that Whomever has taken Gojyo is masking his scent somehow and is doing a rather impressive job in covering their tracks. But in figuring this out, I think that he must have left this here for us to find."** Hakkai offered up the shakoujo, so that they could see what he was referring to. **"And he also cut one of his captors."**

Hakkai's eyes widened taking in the sight of his remaining friends. **"What… happened to you two? You both look terrible!"** he exclaimed, mother hen nature working true to form at this instant seeing the way that neither was breathing as deeply as they should have been, and both had their clothing and hair singed, rubble and dust on their faces and in their clothes. If they needed healing he would be more than happy to use his chi, but they were both stubborn and if they could stand they thought themselves to be fine. If he deemed them both wounded further or needing of healing he would demand to heal them a little later. **"Are you two okay?"**

Sanzo lit up a cigarette, hiding a small smirk behind his hand and sharing a fleeting glance with Goku who was grinning from ear to ear. They had agreed never to speak of what they had gone through at that inn again. Certainly not with the other two. After all… it isn't exactly the most befitting to find yourself running in literal circles trying to dodge attacks… in a single room all the while thinking that you were outside practically running a marathon. No… they'd keep that little misadventure to themselves. **"We'll live."** Sanzo shrugged. 

**"Wait! But aren't we trying to find Gojyo? I get why he left his shakoujo. Like breadcrumbs in that storybook… but.. Why cut someone else? I mean… that'll help us find them. Not him."** Golden eyes looked up at Hakkai with confusion clearly written on his features. Hakkai simply chuckled while Sanzo took up the job of explaining to their young companion. 

**"He couldn't leave his own blood or scent because they're masking it somehow. Take a look Goku. Do you feel his presence on it at all? Even though that is very clearly Gojyo's weapon Hakkai is holding."** The sage frowned, but his eyes widened when he realized exactly what Sanzo was saying, and that it was completely true. **"So our best bet is to find whoever this blood belongs to and have them lead us to Gojyo."** Sanzo finished explaining, exhaling a long drag from his cigarette. 

Now Goku bit his lower lip, worried over the outcome of their side-mission in finding their long lost friend. **"But… They're bad guys. What if they don't help us find him?"**

It was then that Hakkai truly spoke up again, Shouldering Gojyo's weapon and offering a strained look, his eyes dark and very dangerous as he stood. **"Oh. Don't worry Goku. They will."** There was a certain fire in Hakkai's eyes when he spoke those words. Even though he didn't have his monocle, both eyes showed the same level of danger and a promise of pain to whomever had dared take Gojyo. 

**"If absolutely nothing else, the fact that this weapon is here is a very good sign. It means that he is still alive. It is a heavenly weapon and is soul-bound to him. If he dies, it goes back to heavenly origin."** Sanzo was trying to remain completely unbiased, but it was clear by the way he was breathing in his cigarette smoke even after his ordeal in the fog and still being unable to breathe well, as well as how tightly he was clutching the pack of cigarettes so tightly, that this whole situation was bothering him. Even still… he worried about how much this was affecting Hakkai. His friend seemed to be seriously contemplating just taking off his limiters and letting his youkai side do the 'searching' for them. And that would do absolutely no good in this state. 


	7. A New Ally Amidst The Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gojyo is worse for wear and The guys have yet to catch up. But a new ally appears… or does he? Gojyo can't quite tell if this man is a friend or foe at this stage. But one thing is for certain… he would not have survived this long without him. Can he continue to survive through the torment? And What exactly are the youkai planning on doing with Gojyo?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!! Guess what? I'm not dead or disappeared or anything!! Just writer's block and the real world kicking my butt. TT_TT Sorry… again. BUT I'm here and here's a chapter for you all. Another is coming don't worry. Already started on it. I have LOTS of ideas on where this story is headed and we are nowhere near finished with it. So, Question of the day… What do you think Gojyo's favorite pass-time would be as a kid? Let me know. I love reading your comments and you might just inspire some things for a future chapter. ;'3 
> 
> Thanks a TON and I Really hope you enjoy.

Gojyo's mouth felt like he'd been both sucking on cotton and licking up piles of sand for the better part of a week. His hands were tied behind his back and he stumbled alongside the medic of the group. Battered, extremely dehydrated, and disoriented while now, thanks to his brilliant little strategy earlier in attacking said medic, four other youkai flanked him as he walked. One directly ahead, one directly behind and the other two just behind and at either side of him and the medic. _'Damn. You'd think I was the fucking emperor of China or a Prince or something with how guarded I am now.'_ The thought was a passing one. But one question still remained. Where the absolute fucking hell were they taking him?

They had been walking like this for more than a full day. It was already dark, the stars shining in the night sky. The moon however wasn't out to show the path they were travelling on. It was as if even it was telling them that this… whatever-it-was that they were doing was too dark of an act even for it to be a part of.

_'Shit… This is bad. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. This is seriously just too damned much…'_ Gojyo thought, his vision swimming before he misstepped in the darkness, ending up toppling sideways into the medic's side. He couldn't feel his legs beneath him, everything was blurry and he was panting heavily as a mother would, going into labor. 

**"Get back up! Keep moving we're not stopping just so you can take a nap!"** A shout came from the youkai behind him before he felt a sharp pain in the base of his head as he was, he could only assume, kicked in the back of the skull, and forced to move slightly forward again. Only in the sense of his face being shoved into the dirt. He couldn't even force his body to move at this point. The pain was fading almost as quickly as it was coming, he supposed that much was a blessing, but his vision was hazy and darkening rapidly. 

**"No! Stop this! What are you doing? We need to stop moving for the night. If we continue this he's going to die."** Siyu. Gojyo faintly heard one of the other youkai call the medic who was the one standing up for him, Siyu. The blond medic, younger in appearance than all of the other youkai that Gojyo had seen so far, lowered to his knees and pulled Gojyo's form to his own. Holding his head against his chest, practically cradling it against his shoulder and holding him there. Gojyo… didn't quite know how to respond to this. The man holding him while at the same time delivering knews that he was close to death… it was strangely comforting. In a morbid sort of way. He could feel the arms around his form even as he lost all other senses. He couldn't hear anymore. His vision faded to blackness. There was warmth however. Warmth in the arms of the medic who saved him from further torture and death. Siyu.

At least.…from today's death. It could be, and most likely was, that this man wasn't truly helping _him_ he was just doing his job and keeping him alive so that he could be tortured more later. But Gojyo didn't have time or energy to think about any of that. Sleep overtook him quickly. Leaving the band of youkai to set up camp and the medic to carry him inside a soon set up tent off the path they were travelling. 

It was several hours later, it had to be. Gojyo didn't know the time for sure, but he knew that he had been unconscious for a long ass time. When he awoke he was once again in a very dark room. At least this time he wasn't chained or tied up at all. He was simply lying on an old, slightly damp, cot. 

**"Oh. You're awake. I wouldn't recommend moving around too much if I were you."** The slightly too cheerful for how awful Gojyo felt, voice came from the medic, Siyu, who was sitting on a mat in the corner of the room. Apparently he'd been waiting for him to regain consciousness. **"You very nearly died. If we had made you keep moving on your own you wouldn't have made it this far."** Gojyo wanted to scream at him and say _'And what the hell makes you think that I fucking wanted to come to wherever the hell this is anyway? Let me go you sick twisted son of a bitch!'_ But he had no energy to yell. Even after he had slept for what felt like years. And so he just lay there and glared at the young blond youkai. 

**"You'll be okay again in another couple of hours I think."** He was offered a small smile for all the glaring he was giving and that only made him try to glare all the harder at the younger male. **"Do you want something to eat?"** Food? The mere thought of food made his stomach churn but at the same time it instantly growled. Making the younger male chuckle. **"I'll get you something to eat then."** Siyu spoke, a smile on his lips as he got up. The entire time that they had Gojyo, he hadn't spoken a single word. Only screams of pain and torment had passed his lips. But never words. **"Is there anything specific that you need?"** Siyu hesitated, awaiting a response that he knew he wouldn't get. After waiting an extra two minutes in silence, he sighed and started to the door. 

It was when he had just unlocked and turned the knob and was about to pull it open that he heard a rasped whisper from the redhead. **"….water…"** Siyu felt a sense of triumph. He was the only one this half-breed had spoken to. Sure it was just to ask for water, but it was something. Even the chief hadn't gotten anything out of him yet. **"Yeah. No problem."** His eyes were bright and a smile was on his lips as he head out of the little room and left Gojyo once again in darkness. 

The half-breed sighed as he lay on the cot, eyes trained on the ceiling. He broke his own rule. He wasn't going to give them anything. Not his name, not his age, not his favorite color. And he sure as hell wasn't going to ask for anything from them. But at the same time he could feel his body trying to shut down. His mind wasn't connecting dots like it was supposed to and reaction times were becoming slower. Even pain was starting to lose the immediate effect. Dulling a bit. He was becoming numb to the world around him in a very bad way. Everything was fading and honestly… it terrified him. He wasn't afraid to die, no, but… this… this empty darkness… this in-between place that he didn't know what was what and where he was and where his friends were… this scared him. 

Sure. He didn't want to die. But that was beside the point. He could no more control that than Hakkai, Sanzo, and Goku could control what these assholes were doing to him right now without actually getting here. _'Oh this sucks so bad.'_ He needed water. He was a water sprite. A Kappa half breed. That's what his demon half was. A human male was about 60% water, and his other half thrived off of the water… among other things… He needed water. Needed it for survival. He needed more water than the average human or demon. And while in this captivity they'd been giving him just under the bare minimum amount for survival for the average human. Banking on his youkai half to carry him through. They clearly didn't know what his youkai half was yet…. Or they wanted him dying and miserable. Well, it was pretty obvious that they wanted him miserable. The torture made that pretty clear. But dying? Why assign him a medic if they wanted him to die? 

A long time passed, at least what felt like a long time to the half-breed, before the medic returned, a tray in his hands. There was some form of gruel in a bowl and a cup of water that he was supposed to drink. It was probably lake water. He could smell the freshness and the organisms living in it, the life that it brings. He didn't even care. He wanted it. Needed it at this point. He held his hands out for the tray, not really caring about the gruel no matter how painfully his stomach churned with a wanting hunger. He nodded his thanks once, drinking down the entirety of the glass in one sitting before turning to the food, sniffing at it once before making a face, but eating that too with trembling hands. Damn it why couldn't he stop his hands from shaking so much! He couldn't show these assholes how much they were affecting him. 

The water was cool and wet and absolutely beautiful as it trickled down his scratched throat. He wished that he had about six times as much. But he was not about to ask for more. He'd already stooped so low as to request the first glass. The food on the other hand… might have been a mistake. While his stomach felt a little better having something in it… within five minutes he found himself turning and spewing the contents on the floor. He didn't know if he had just eaten too much and his stomach couldn't handle it at this point, or if they did something to it, but it wasn't good. He was shaking and laying on his side as the medic came over, gently brushing his fingers through his long red locks. **"It'll be okay… just breathe…and rest now."** He faintly heard the voice speak. He heard him mention something about being ill, something about a fever and saw him flitting about… why couldn't that asshole just stay in one spot and shut up? Was he sick now? Why did he care? They were keeping him here against his will and torturing him for who the fuck knows why… why would he care if he had a fever? _'Only two people in my life have ever cared that I was sick… and you ain't one of 'em…'_ he thought as he blinked stupidly up at the medic, seeing the doors open menacingly behind Siyu and the bald leader coming in, a wicked smirk on his lips. 

**"Come on, time to go have some more fun. And we'll actually cooperate this time… won't we?"** Baldy spoke as two other men grabbed him and drug him out of the room, dragging him down the hall and to another, equally dark hall. So… this was happening… all over again. Well…. Good luck Baldy. By 'we' he really meant Gojyo. And like hell that was happening. He wasn't 'cooperating' for anything. Even if he felt like shit and lost the only food he'd gotten in a few days, the water gave him at least a little energy. He wasn't going to tell him anything. 


	8. Familiar Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gojyo meets some friendly faces, but they aren't exactly who he expects them to be. What turn will this hold for him? Will he be able to make it through? Will he be able to find some help to get him through the torment he is facing now?

Blood dripped down his face in a lethargic crawl. Half of his face was covered in the red, sticky mess while the other half was mostly free of blood, but had strips of his hair stuck in odd places He was panting in slow labored breaths, all that he could manage despite wanting to take in one whirlwind at a time. He felt a little like he was suffocating but he knew he had oxygen enough. Just no sense left in him. This new base of operations that they had brought him to seemed to be an upgrade. New toys for torture that Gojyo really, Truly wished he didn't have first hand knowledge of after they were 'through' with him.

His eyes fluttered open in a dazed only half awake state as he hung by the wrists. Oh yes, another new upgrade. This facility had much more space. They could put him in whatever position they wanted to… much to Gojyo's dismay. He currently had two thick burns going across his chest from one shoulder to the top of his hip. A shoulder dislocated which sent his vision into black spots of pain every time someone decided it was a good idea to touch him or make him move, and they broke his foot. Which… well at least he wasn't standing right now. The worrisome thing though was that they tore off his shirt a while ago to inflict the burns, but never gave it back. He had no covering and now he was feeling very exposed. 

**"Now.…I'm done playing nice with you."** If this was fucking nice… he didn't want to know what nasty was. The voice from behind him said as he heard shifting of random objects. Metal clinked against metal and stone while plastic and iron slid against a table. Liquid sloshed in a bottle that sent his ears tingling, wishing that it were water, (he knew it wasn't) and that he could have even just a bit of it. And something that sounded like sand but smelt like sweat was being moved in a box. **"It’s a simple question. We're still on the easy stuff with you and I'm done with it. We're not the enemy here. Just give us what we're asking for and this hell can be over. It isn't that difficult."** Was he really trying to bargain with him? What the hell did he mean that they weren't the enemy here? Or did he just imagine that? He couldn't think straight. 

he heard something loud crack, like thunder or the sound of a gun. Immediately his eyes flicked up and widened, half expecting to see Sanzo with his banishing gun and to hear the thud of a body drop to the floor. But then the pain caught up with his tired and fever addled mind. Something caught on the flesh of his back… and with a yank it ripped open long gashes there. He screamed.

**"What is your name Half-breed?"** A very slight pause before another ear-splitting crack and pain once again erupted in his back. This time lower. He didn't understand at first, but he was slowly piecing it together between the pain and his own screaming and the questions being hollered into his ear. He was being whipped. Judging by the immense pain and the jerking tears made into his back with each strike… He would have to guess that it wasn't just a whip. He was being flogged. A whip with multiple tails and glass, rocks, nails, bits of sharp metal, whatever painful pieces could be tied at the ends to inflict the most damage to not only skin, but the bones beneath. He didn't even know anyone that cruel… and he'd fought a spider demon who ate her own friends and a fucking wanna-be priest with a child's mindset who wanted to keep him as a play-thing after using and then murdering two innocent brats. This fucking sucked. 

**"What is your name?"** The words were screamed at him before another couple times being hit by the flogging whip. He arched his back, his shoulder screaming at him for moving. He couldn't see, everything was fading. His own screams were deafening out. He didn't know up from down anymore much less his own name. Why were they doing this? Why him? What the hell made him so goddamned important? Then again… if it were between him and the others, He would always, every single time choose him for this shit. There was no way he wanted Hakkai in here, though he imagined he'd be able to put up with a lot of it. Goku…. No. He was a tough kid, but he was a kid. He shouldn't have to deal with anything. Much less this shit. And Sanzo? Nah he's human. As tough and resilient as he is, he would have died. Not that Gojyo thought that he was some big strong almighty thing… far from it. He's just lived through pain. Pain was his life. A little (or a lot) more won't be the end of him. And knowing that his friends were coming for him helped him get through these damned torture sessions. 

**"-ame!?"** He couldn't even hear the stupid man anymore. He had probably shouted the same nonsense a few times by now since he just kept whipping him over and over again. But Gojyo couldn't even get a word out if he had wanted to… which he didn't. He was screaming and trying desperately to suck in even the faintest breath to his shaky lungs. 

He had the distinctive feeling that he was going to pass out, or give in… neither of which was a good option. But since he couldn't actually form coherent thoughts much less words… he figured the former would happen a lot sooner than the latter. _'I can't do this… I don't even know what they want.. My name yeah but.. But seriously what are they doing this for? Do they even have a reason?'_ His thoughts were muddled but through the fog that was his brain, he managed that. He looked up through pained eyes when the felt the other man move in front of him. His eyes held slight defiance still, but showed how tired and worn down he was. 

**"...think about this. This will all stop if you just give in. Just talk to us. Give us your name and do as we say."** The bald, typically angry looking leader was looking down into his eyes. Something akin to sympathy in his eyes. If Gojyo had enough saliva in his mouth to manage to spit at him he would have. And it seemed that it showed because his torturer sighed and went back around to the table behind him. Again the sound of shifting sand was heard before a burning pain erupted through him. He was pressing salt into the deep gashes in his back. Pouring the rocksalt over his back and shoulders until it mingled and colored to a mutilated pink color. His hoarse voice was raised in another scream, breaking and near silent in pain. 

The man, Gojyo didn't even remember his name at this point, nor did he care. He was Baldy to Gojyo. Sighed and came back around to look at Gojyo's face. Ashen and blood soaked and beyond understanding. **"Take him back to his cell. There's no talking to him right now. He's too out of it. We'll resume in a few hours."** Gojyo faintly recalled being removed from the chains holding him up, the burn from his back and the jarring ache as he was moved and then the pain of being dropped onto the floor of his dark, cold room. He couldn't move. He didn't even have the energy to open his eyes at this point. That last 'session' had taken literally everything out of him. At least he was still breathing. _'sleep…. Gotta…. Sleep… try and… think… later…'_ he tried to piece his thoughts together into one coherent sentence of a thought, but even that wasn't coming quickly to him. 

he kept his eyes closed, lay on the cool concrete floor and let the darkness take him. Sleep… it was his best ally while he was away from his friends. In this hell sleep was his only comfort. Cooling, Numbing, Gentle sleep. And in that sleep he dreamed. 

*  
**  
*

_The scent of sakura wafted through the dark nothingness of his sleep. Surrounding him and caressing his senses in the most loving and gentle way. It was almost as if it were real. He could actually smell it, and he wished for more. He could practically feel the soft blossoms falling on his skin. He only knew he wasn't in the waking world because he felt no pain here._

__

_"We have to do something…" a voice interrupted his calm thoughts. But he was still in the dream. A dream-person? Who the hell was he dreaming about?_

__

_"And by We you really mean Me. And You know how I feel about him." Another voice spoke up from the darkness._

__

_"Yes I do. And that sounds like a 'you' problem doesn't it? But he needs help."_

__

_"Besides, the way you feel about him…you also realize what that says about you, don't you?" there was a third voice. And then laughter from two of them as the one disgruntled voice seemed to be deep in thought. Determining if he would help Gojyo or leave him to his fate._

__

_Soon he felt the tap of a hand on his cheek and he furrowed his brows. "Come on. Open your eyes. We know you're not really asleep so you gotta at least be lucid enough to talk to us here." Wait… what the hell? Was he not dreaming? Was all of this just in his head? No that couldn't be. He opened his eyes and was dumbstruck. Sitting before him were three (gorgeous) men. One blond who held a frown and bored looking violet eyes, his long golden hair in a ponytail that draped over his shoulder. He wore fine white robes slit up to his hips and white pants beneath. Along with what appeared to be anything but comfortable shoes on his feet. He had arm bands made of gold and similar bands around his waist, thighs, ankles and a necklace with three balls on it. Gojyo didn't get that outfit at all. Another had a mullet, not the dirty kind by any means. His hair looked like black silk and a light that came from nowhere glinted off of the glasses perched on his nose. Vibrant emerald eyes laughed at him. He wore a more simple set of clothing. Pants and a shirt and tie with a white lab coat draped over his shoulders. Cigarette between two fingers, clearly not having lit it yet._

__

_"H-Hakkai…?" Crimson eyes widened seeing the state of whom he thought to be his best friend. But he furrowed brow he got from the man made his own mouth close._

__

_"Heehee. Now who's got a problem Ten?" The third man, the one who seemed to be debating helping him or not spoke up with a smirk. Gojyo looked him over next. Short raven hair spiked up, deep blue eyes and black leather with a skull pendant hanging in the middle of his chest. He threw an arm around the one he called 'Ten' and laughed._

__

_"I fail to see the humor Kenren. I am not him."_

__

_Gojyo was confused. Very confused. And he only got more confused when the blond added on, "Well, technically you are. We all are. I don't see why you two have an issue with your reincarnates. I do not mind mine."_

__

_"R-Reincarnates? Wait a minute. Does someone want to tell me what the fuck is going on here? And who the hell you three are?" Gojyo finally spoke up from where he was sitting in the black void that they all seemed to be residing in. All of the other three got quiet then before the one that had been called 'Ken' came over and poked his forehead._

__

_"You're dying kid. That's what's happening. We're in a sub-space which is why we can talk to you and actually help. I'm your past life. Kenren Taishou. This is Tenpou Gensui. And over there's Konzen Douji. And Ten here thinks that because you're so far up a creek you need our help to make it so that you don't kick the bucket now. If you want that is." Something told Kenren that Gojyo didn't want to die yet. After all… if his reincarnate was anything like him, he may be willing to die for certain things that were important to him, but this? This sure as hell wasn't one of those things._

__

_Gojyo had to think about this for a minute. The longer they were in this dream or sub-space or whatever the hell he'd called it. The more he felt both pain and a disconnect from everything. Was that what dying felt like? Or was this just another trick? He still wanted to believe that he was dreaming but… That look in Hakka- no… Tenpou's eyes was so familiar. Grounding almost. "Hey, I ain't a kid. But so… yeah okay. So how exactly do you plan on helping me? I may not be a genius here but I do know how reincarnation works. If I'm yours that means you're already dead. How's a dead guy supposed to help me?"_

__

_Tenpou laughed while Kenren just rolled his eyes. A hand on the shoulder seemed to calm him down which made Gojyo raise a brow. Were those two just close or…. Close? Eh not his business. But it did bring up some pretty interesting thoughts that he'd rather not think about. "You and he share a connection. His soul, can reside inside your body for a time and take pain that your body cannot afford any longer. You're tapped out at this point. You've lasted far longer than you should have, but you need the help now." Konzen spoke up, violet gaze softening just a bit as he looked to Gojyo._

__

_"So.…you're telling me that he's going to jump-start my body and take it for a ride… just so that he can take the pain for me for a while? Why the hell would I agree to that? I ain't gonna let someone get tortured in my place. Hell no. I…" He was going to say that he'd die first but.. That's what was happening wasn't it? He was dying. And it wasn't even a question about if these guys were seriously telling him the truth or not. He could feel it._

__

_"Look. I don't like it any more than you do. But I'm not just doing it because I want to. Or for only your sake. If you died, people would feel it. The friends that're looking for you… our reincarnates. And Goku… that twerp… he doesn't need any more of his friends to die. So just suck it up and let us help you okay?"_

__

_Well, when the guy put it like that…. It made even less sense. Why would people be affected by his death? He never thought that people would really care. Sure Hakkai would probably care. He's Hakkai after all. But Sanzo? Hell no. There was no way. And Goku… well he'd probably be upset that he wasn't around to play with anymore but he'd get over it right? But what was that crack about Goku having lost too many friends before? "What… do you mean? What happened to the chimp?"_

__

_He was surprised to see them all shift their gazes away as if somewhat ashamed of the answer to that question. And likewise surprised to see Konzen, the one with Sanzo's face looking all but heartbroken. "I think that's a story for another time… You're fading quickly." Konzen cleared his throat, trying to regain composure and looked up at Gojyo again. "Will you agree to this? If not for your own sake then for that of the people around you? Kenren can only help keep you alive with your consent."_

__

_All eyes were on him in that moment and he sighed, running his fingers through his long hair. "I mean… Are you sure you want to do this? Couldn't it kill you too? What if the guys don't get to us in time?" That was a thought that made his chest and stomach ache. One part of him was thrilled that they were coming at all, but another side was seriously afraid that they wouldn't get there in time. Even will this help._

__

_Kenren snickered a little with that. "I'm already dead remember? I can take one helluva lot. By the end you'll be alive… mostly.. And I'll get outta your hair." He gave a huge smirk as tenpou tapped the raven haired man's head, reminding him not to gloat…. Especially about being dead. Yeah, Gojyo could see how that was Hakkai's past life._

__

_"Well.…Yeah I guess then. If you're sure you'll be alright in the end and everything." Gojyo hated this. He hated this so much, but he knew that if he didn't agree to it there was no way he was going to get out of this hell. And he didn't want to see Goku upset, or see the torture in Hakkai's eyes, or… well… he still didn't believe Sanzo would feel anything if he died except maybe think that it would be an annoyance that he wouldn't have him to run his errands for him or keep the monkey busy from time to time. But…. Still.. He supposed it was possible._

__

_"Alright! So lets get this started." Kenren said before Tenpou grabbed his hand and pulled him a few feet away, out of earshot. It seemed the two of them needed to have a mini conversation to themselves before he was allowed to do anything._

__

_He was left alone with Konzen, the Sanzo look-alike and boy, was that awkward. He looked up at him and offered a grin. "what's up?" Konzen rose a brow and sighed softly before chuckling a little. "You're interesting. All three of you are. You're very similar to us but you're your own people. Very different at the same time. Do not think that you're simply following our fates or choices. You are your own. You make your own paths. You've done extremely well so far." He offered a somewhat bored looking smile to him before his eyes took on that slightly tortured look yet again. "I need to ask… How… How is he? Goku? I know he doesn't remember us, but… He's happy? You all take care of him?"_

__

_Gojyo didn't know what to think of this. Take care of the chimp? "You know… most of the time he don't need protecting. But yeah. We'd do whatever we need to if he needed us. Same with each other." he didn't know what it was about Goku, maybe because he was still a kid, but while a lot of the time he didn't require protection, they were all protective of him. "He's a happy kid. There's a lot beneath the surface all the time, but he's an energetic little jerk. Sanzo more than anybody looks after him. The kid even calls him his 'sun' or some shit. I don't really know what that's all about, but it seems to mean something to the priest and a lot to Goku so its none of my business." He trailed off after that, the look in Konzen's eyes seeming to grip his heart. It was a mix of pain and happiness and longing. "You… you guys knew him before didn't you? You all knew Goku… What happened?"_

__

_Konzen just shook his head a little. "Like I said, that's a story for another time. Thank you for telling me that he's doing well. I'm glad that he's happy. I hope that I was able to keep my promise to him. When you see him next, and are healed enough to do so.. Have everyone have a picnic beneath a sakura tree. Okay?"_

__

_Gojyo looked confused at that. Why a picnic? Why under a sakura tree? But feeling Kenren's hand on his shoulder and seeing the smiles that comment brought to all of their lips, Gojyo nodded once. "Yeah, okay. I guess I can do that. Don't think anyone'll get it, but I can do that."_

__

_Kenren laughed out loud with that. "Sounds good to me. You ready kid?" Gojyo nodded, apprehension gripping him, but he knew this was necessary. "Alright. Close your eyes. You're gonna be asleep for a while. You'll be able to see what's going on but you wont' be able to actually do anything. You can talk to me if you want to but I'm in charge for the time being. Just keep that in mind." Gojyo closed his eyes as instructed and took a deep breath._

__

_He felt a pressure on his chest and the scent of sakura, tobacco, and leather was overwhelming before everything lifted. He felt no more pain and he was almost lost in a dark space._

__

 

*  
**  
*

**"Wake Him Up!"** They shook his unconscious body. A few punches and kicks were delivered. No movement from the redhead finally they got a bucket of water and dumped it on him. Slowly he moved, as much as he could, now bound sitting on the floor with his hands raised above his head. His brows furrowed and a soft hoarse groan left his lips before his eyes opened. Everyone in the room gasped. **"It worked! It had to have worked. Look at him! Go get Taozi."** voices spoke up from the little cell he was in. Before there was a scurrying and people running about. 

From where he sat, he smirked a little. Not much changed. He was still a half-breed. Still beaten to high hell. Still bloodied. Still held the markings of a taboo birth. Red hair, but when he opened his eyes instead of crimson, deep blue with a 'fuck off' attitude stared up at his captors. 

'Lets have some fun with these assholes, eh kid?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everybody! Here's another chapter for you all! A little earlier than my normal posting schedule is supposed to be just because… well… you deserve it. (I'm a bad author! I left you hanging for such a long time before. It's over-due. XD I hope you enjoy it! I know, things just keep getting more and more complicated for poor Gojyo but at least he has some relief now. Question of the day: What do you think is the most fun that the Gaiden group ever had together? (Or if you haven't seen Gaiden, Substitute them for the regular Sanzo-party) We need some fun and joy after this chapter huh? Haha.


	9. New Leads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gojyo is in peril. The rest of the Sanzo Party are on the trail to finding him, but how will they react when yet another obstacle is placed in front of them? Will they be able to live with themselves without their kappa for much longer or will they tear their little party apart from the inside out? And where will they turn when they have nowhere else to go?
> 
> "No, Gojyo was gone, but they had to get him back. They couldn't lose Gojyo. Sure it was annoying having him around but it was twice as annoying not having him. Things were quiet. Sanzo was even more grumpy than usual and he smoked more too. He was far more violent and fan-happy too. And Hakkai…. Hakkai was downright scary."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everybody! 
> 
> So, here's another chapter. I'm pretty excited about this one. It was originally going to be longer but then I got part way through and realized how long it already was and thought 'um…. No I'll make this into two chapters.'  
> So… Poor Gojyo will have to wait a little longer for his friends. ^_^ And The Sanzo Party will have to wait yet another chapter for their answers. 
> 
> Also, Thank you all SO much for your comments and Kudos! And for reading this fic in general. Seriously you have no idea how much you've made my day time and time again. <3 You guys rock!  
> A sincere thank you to all of you. You give me inspiration, ideas, chase away my writer's block, and so much more. I cannot thank you enough. 
> 
> Now, In fear of sounding like your nagging aunt or mother or sister or the old neighbor lady who always pinches your cheeks and says you're cute but wonders if you're doing okay and asks if you want a cookie... (yes they exist, trust me) In light of the recent fires and the hurricanes going on at the moment, the ones that have already hit, the ones that are currently threatening Florida and the coasts, and the ones that seem to be following the same path... as well as probably a dozen things that I don't even know about (Sorry if I'm missing important things by the way) Please please please guys, stay safe. Not just because I love hearing your comments or like that you read my stories (I seriously do, don't get me wrong) But because if you're in those areas, I sincerely hope that you're all doing okay and please know that you're in my thoughts and prayers and I wish there was more that I could do. 
> 
> So yeah. Please stay safe, get to safety, be prepared, (probably everything you already know but I somehow feel the need to share anyway) And know that you've got tons of people wishing you well. Tons of love sending your way! 
> 
> Anyway, that whole ramble aside... 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. There's... actually Some good news for the guys. They make a few new steps in the right direction despite a few setbacks. So here's the latest in Embrace the Darkness. Hope you like it!

So what exactly did the Pervy Kappa get himself into this time? It had to be bad, he thought as he sat in the back seat, his gaze shifting between the weapon their friend used and the unusually empty space beside him. Sure, people tried to kill them all the time, but who'd want to kidnap Gojyo? It wasn't like they'd do a ransom trade or anything for him. They'd be more likely to come in and beat the living hell out of whoever took Gojyo than to be willing to trade Sanzo's scripture for him. Glancing up at Sanzo as he took a drag of yet another cigarette he sighed and let his chin rest in his hand. Yeah, Sanzo would probably shoot at him just for thinking of that option. 

No, Gojyo was gone, but they had to get him back. They couldn't lose Gojyo. Sure it was annoying having him around but it was twice as annoying not having him. Things were quiet. Sanzo was even more grumpy than usual and he smoked more too. He was far more violent and fan-happy too. And Hakkai…. Hakkai was downright scary. This time was even different from the time he'd left on his own to track down Kami-sama. Things were so much worse this time. Goku didn't know if it was because Gojyo was actually taken by force, and that bugged both Sanzo and Hakkai, or if it was because the situation altogether was just bad, or if they could tell that Gojyo wasn't doing too good.

He himself, he could feel it. Something was so wrong. Even more wrong now than it was before when Gojyo was just missing. Even more wrong now than when they first found out that he wasn't at their campsite, and even more wrong than when he and Sanzo were waiting for Hakkai to get back from searching. Something was so very very wrong. He could feel it. He couldn't feel Gojyo's presence or scent him on anything, even though he could plainly see his shakoujo in the jeep with them, but there was a twisting feeling in his stomach. **"Hey… Sanzo?"**

The priest took a deep breath, tense, far more than usual Goku noted, and glanced back in the rear view mirror at his young companion. **"What is it Goku? If you say you're hungry I'm going to shoot you."** Goku just shook his head. He wasn't going to say that. The feeling was a little like being hungry. A twisting in his stomach that he couldn't control. But… it was different, worse. A scary feeling. Dark. 

**"No, not that. I…"**

**"Which direction Goku? Can you sense him yet?"** Hakkai interrupted, not having Goku's tracking capabilities he was relying on Goku's senses to lead them. The shakoujo laying in the back seat with him… in Gojyo's spot. 

For some reason seeing the weapon, the small trace of blood on the blade but no trace of its owner sitting in Gojyo's space made the twisting in his stomach get even worse. **"No… nothing yet. I can kinda smell the other guy though. The bad-guy with the blood… yeah. We're going in the right direction, just keep going."**

He missed the glare Sanzo shot to Hakkai. He didn't see the frown on the man-turned-youkai's lips or the slightly guilty look in his eyes as he continued driving. He just pulled his knees to his chest and stared at the silver weapon for a while. **"I'm sorry Goku. What were you going to say?"** It was a while later, but Hakkai's voice finally spoke up, urging him to continue his train of thought from before. 

He blinked a couple of times, trying to remember what he had been thinking before. **"It… we're really gonna find him right?"** He felt dumb for asking. Because, well of coarse they were going to find Gojyo. After all, this was them that they were talking about. But… what if they didn't? They were having a hard enough time just tracking him down and he'd been missing for so long. And this feeling. Goku couldn't put his finger on it but there was something almost scarily familiar about this feeling. He wanted it to stop and he wanted Gojyo back and he wanted this to all be over. He had never wanted to just have everyone back together and continue on their stupid mission more in his whole life. 

He heard Hakkai's breath hitch and the squelch sound of his fingers gripping the steering wheel tighter, Hakuryuu protesting to the extremely tight hold. The engine revved however and they started going faster in the direction Goku had pointed them to. He was distracted by all of these things and only faintly heard movement from the front seat directly in front of him. Soon the familiar comforting weight of Sanzo's hand was in his hair and he sighed softly feeling some of the tension leaving his own body with that simple action from the priest. **"We'll find him Goku. And we'll beat the shit out of whoever took him for making us waste so much time away from our mission. I need three bodyguards after all."** They caught gazes, seeming to share the moment. More was spoken in that simple look than in the words spoken aloud. 

Goku nodded and offered a smile to his sun. **"Yeah. You're right. And I'm gonna tease Gojyo for getting caught to begin with."** He offered a grin. It wasn't fully felt, but it was there.

**"That's the spirit Goku. Let's all think of what we'll do with Gojyo once he's back shall we? I know I for one plan on insisting that if he continues to get lost he'll have to wear a collar and a leash. Or at least a bell so that we'll more easily be able to find him."** Hakkai teased, a lighthearted tone. His eyes were still hardened and filled with heavy emotion, but his smile was back and the laughter that he was emitting was true. Goku could tell that much. 

Even Sanzo snorted with that one. **"Give him some dog-tags that say 'return to Cho Hakkai if lost'. I bet he'll make an actual effort to keep from getting too far away from then on."**

**"Why return to Hakkai? Wouldn't it be Return to the Sanzo party? Shouldn't he be for all of us?"** Goku tilted his head curiously as he looked up at the back of Sanzo's head. 

Sanzo simply shook his own head and settled himself back into his seat, snuffing out his cigarette and tossing it out of the jeep once he was sure that it was safely put out. **"No way in hell. I'm not that guy's owner. That would be Hakkai's job. I've already got one un-tamable animal to deal with."**

The priest responded with a jab of his thumb towards Goku himself.

Now that caused Hakkai to laugh, a full on, shoulder shaking laughter that actually reached his eyes. **"Oh if He were here to hear you say that. You know he would be throwing such a tantrum. Perhaps in his absence we shouldn't be making fun of him so much?"** He offered, but then all three of them simply snickered and shrugged. Nah. This was the most lighthearted fun they'd had since the kappa had disappeared. They needed this to be able to keep going. And honestly, they all knew Gojyo. If he were able to hear this, He'd probably start arguing and yeah, throw a tantrum and start a fight, but only to edge them on because he'd know that they all needed it. It was something that Goku loved about the water sprite. He was like a big brother that Goku never had. And he always thought about how he could help other people…. In his own really weird way. 

*

**

*

It was a few hours later, they had to make camp for the night. Hakkai had argued that they shouldn't be wasting time, but Sanzo had simply made the counter-point of saying that they were all (Hakkai especially) no use to Gojyo if they were half dead with exhaustion or attacked off guard in the dead of night. Hakkai couldn't argue this point away, and so, here they were camping. Hakkai semi-fuming but outwardly seeming pleasant enough. In other words… terrifying. 

Sitting beside Sanzo by the fire, he looked over at the shakoujo. **"Sanzo… I got a real bad feeling."** That twisting feeling in his stomach was still there. He could still feel that something terrible was going on, and he couldn't shake that it had something to do with Gojyo. But when he looked into Sanzo's eyes, he noticed a similar look in those violet orbs as well. **"There's something real bad that's going on. I mean… I dunno. I know we all said we're gonna find him but… But I can't help it. I have this twisty feeling in my stomach and my chest's all tight whenever I think about him and there's something scary about it. Like its happened before even though I know it hasn't."** He murmured these words, quiet so that he hoped Hakkai wouldn't hear from his spot laying on his sleeping bag across the fire from them. Hakkai had enough on his mind. He didn't want to add his own issues to it. 

**"Stupid chimp. It's going to be fine. We'll get the damn kappa back and everything'll be back to as normal as it ever gets for us in no time. You'll see. You worry too much."** He was tempted to tack on his usual, 'its annoying' at the end, but thought better of it. That wasn't what Goku needed to hear. Right now Goku needed to let out his worries. It was rare that it happened, and when it did, Sanzo let it. He would listen and give his own semi-gruff way of offering comfort to his young companion. Offering insight or wisdom or whatever it was that Sanzo had to offer at the time, he did it. This time however, he seemed to simply listen and allow the chimp to let it out, telling him it'd be okay in the end. 

**"Yeah. You're right. I just…"** He trailed off, his heartbeat stuttering a moment and his golden eyes catching on the faint glimmer in the darkness around them. The small flutter of power before the emptiness took hold. **"Sanzo… its gone. It's gone! Gojyo's Shakoujo. It's… It disappeared!"**

**"What do you mean it disappeared Goku? Where did it go?"** Hakkai, who they both thought was asleep up until that moment, was up and at their side in mere seconds. Practically vaulting over the flames of their campfire and searching the spot where Gojyo's weapon had been lying. 

Goku shook his head, taking a step closer to Sanzo's side subconsciously. He swallowed around the lump in his throat, trying not to think about what this meant, but unable not to. **"It disappeared. I felt it before I saw it. It's just like when Gojyo puts it away after a fight, but Gojyo's not here. Gojyo didn't do it. Its… It's gone. I don't know. It just disappeared. There was power that kinda… I don't know swallowed it up or something."**

For a moment both Hakkai and Sanzo were silent. Goku looked between the two of them, biting his lower lip. **"What's that mean? Sanzo? Before you said that it was good that his weapon was here 'cause that meant he was still alive, yeah? Well what's this mean then? It disappeared without his callin' it. He… He's… Does that mean Gojyo's-"**

**"No. Gojyo is alive Goku. And we are going to find him."** Scary Hakkai was back. The smooth calculating voice with hard cold eyes. Limiters still firmly in place but that didn't make him any less scary to Goku right that moment. 

Sanzo rubbed at the bridge of his nose and sighed. **"Alright that's enough both of you. Calm down before I calm you both down permanently."** Count on Sanzo to threaten to kill the people who were freaking out over death. Granted they weren't freaking out over their own deaths but still. **"We don't know for sure that he's dead. The only way to know that is to find him, and we haven't done that yet."**

Goku bit his lower lip, feeling his breathing coming to him in shorter quicker bursts. Fear gripping him. It was that same fear that he had when he was stuck in the shed and Sanzo hadn't come back for him for so long. When he thought he had been abandoned. **"But Sanzo, even if he is still alive, without Gojyo's shakoujo, we can't track him down. What are we supposed to do now?"**

**"Let's think about what we know. If we're going to get him back we have to keep calm and think clearly. Right Hakkai?"** He saw the way that Sanzo shot Hakkai a look, he wasn't dumb, he knew that Sanzo was trying to make Hakkai calm down and keep his shit together. Just like he was trying to keep himself calm, and trying to keep Goku from freaking out about things that he couldn't control.

He heard Hakkai take several long slow breaths trying to calm himself down from where he was kneeling in the dirt now by where Gojyo's shakoujo had been propped up against a log. "Yes. You're right. We should gather our thoughts and keep our wits about us." Hakkai rubbed at his temples, he'd been doing this every now and again for a while now. His monocle was missing and he didn't seem to have a spare. It was one of those things that Goku had noticed but wasn't going to comment on. Not unless he had to. 

**"Gojyo has been missing for two weeks three days and six hours. He was last seen leaving our campsite saying that he wanted to go for a walk to smoke and clear his head. I later found the obvious battle ground where he was ambushed. A couple dead youkai were there as well as other clear signs that the others that had ambushed him were also youkai."** Hakkai started the explanation, pulling out a notebook and jotting everything down as he spoke. It always amazed Goku how organized and smart Hakkai was. 

**"So, it was youkai that took him. Strange seeing as youkai typically kill without mercy this far west. Meaning that whatever the reason was that they actually took Gojyo was, they just must have an actual purpose for doing so."** He could tell that Sanzo didn't know what that reasoning was, but he knew it had to be something bad. 

Hakkai sighed and shrugged. Trying to make sense of what they were talking about. **"Truly, if they were going to try and use him as a hostage for the scripture, they would have done so by now. It does not make sense. What purpose could they have with Gojyo…"** He sounded far off, in his own head. He wasn't really talking to them. 

**"But.…But that means that they're all getting together to get at Gojyo? Or just to get at all of us like usual? I mean… Hakkai's not wrong, right Sanzo? If they were gonna use him to try and get at the rest of us they should'a done it way before now."** he spoke up, looking at the two taller males with curiosity and confusion in his eyes. 

Sanzo didn't seem to know what to say at first, but after lighting a new cigarette, tossing the old one to the ground and stepping on it to snuff out the still burning embers, he exhaled the smoke with a deep sigh. **"Well, if it's really youkai that took him and we can't come up with a good reason for why they did it, there's only one person that we can really ask about it then. We need answers and I'm done with this playing around. We've wasted enough time searching for his useless ass and come up with nothing."**

Hakkai seemed to come right back to attention with that comment. He seemed scared, which was throwing Goku off completely. Hakkai didn't get scared. Hakkai was scary when he wanted to be and polite and nice the rest of the time. He got stuff done and he never seemed scared about anything. So… seeing him legitimately scared was unsettling to the young heretic. "Surely you don't mean to leave him behind Sanzo.." Oh. Well of coarse that would scare him. Hakkai and Gojyo were best friends. And Goku knew that no matter how much they all talked about leaving each other behind (especially Gojyo when he's stupid) they'd never actually do it. Sure there was that one time with Kami-sama, but Gojyo Chose to leave then. And even then they all had to go and get him. It jut wasn't right without him. They all knew it. 

**"Are you trying to make me shoot you? Don't ask stupid questions Hakkai. I'm saying.."** He said, standing up and brushing off the dirt from his robes. **"We're going to the source and getting our questions answered. Enemy or not, he'll tell us where that damned Kappa is. Now get up, we've got a long way to go."**

**"...Ah. That sounds like a decent plan. But how may I ask will we get in touch with him? I mean, we've been heading west this whole time and while they seem able to find us relatively easily, we aren't exactly in India as of yet. And I doubt that they'd be willing to let us in to chat if we just knocked on their door anyway."** Hakkai asked, Goku looking between the two men with complete confusion on his own face. 

Sanzo just shrugged. **"Then we'll get a message to him and demand a meeting. I want answers and I'm sick of sitting here wasting time."**

**"Wait.… who are we gonna go talk to?"** Goku asked as they all got their things together, packing up their camp-site and loading the jeep. He hopped into the back, hating the fact that it was so roomy and he couldn't even enjoy it. **"I don't get it. Where are we going now?"**

Hakkai smiled sweetly in the rear view mirror, though Goku could see that he wasn't looking at him. He was looking at the spot where Gojyo's shakoujo had disappeared. He watched as Hakkai marked a place on the map and then put the jeep in gear. **"Oh, We're going to go Talk to Kougaiji. If a group of youkai took Gojyo, the most likely person to know something about his whereabouts would be the youkai prince himself. And if this was in fact a tactic thought up by his group… well… I suppose we'll have our answers and you'll get to have a real fight Goku."**

He grinned. A fight with Kougaiji again? A fair fight that kicked ass and made him work. Kougaiji was good. He couldn't wait. **"Well, What're we waiting for Hakkai? Let's get going!"** He threw his fist in the air, eager for the promised fight with the youkai prince and his party. 

He laughed as Hakkai just chuckled softly and started driving, carrying them all away into the night. **"Indeed."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you guys think? Will Kougaiji and his group have the answers that they're looking for? Are they behind Gojyo's disappearance and torture? What do you think is the main goal behind the youkai taking Gojyo to begin with?  
> Leave your conspiracy theories and ideas in the comments. If anyone guesses right I'll give them a cookie! (Oh crap i really am the creepy neighbor lady aren't I?)
> 
> So many questions and so few answers. I know. Let me know what you think and know that the next chapter is on its way!
> 
> Anyway, I'll shut up and get back to working on the next few chapters. ;3 
> 
> Thanks again!


	10. Calling on the Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kougaiji and his group get a message from the Sanzo party requesting (or demanding is a better term) information on Gojyo. Will Kougaiji be able to help? What will Dokugakuji have to say about all of this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone!! Guess what, I didn't actually turn into dust and disappear!! I'm BACK!!!!! :D   
> New chapters are on their way and....... actual answers will be here in the next couple of chapters. We will get to learn exactly who took Gojyo and exactly for what reason. 
> 
> I would love to hear your theories and ideas on why they took him in the comments. Its really fun to read!
> 
> Thank you all SO much for sticking with me while I've been having some real life issues (and writer's block) It totally wasn't fair to any of you to keep this story on hold for this long, but I hope you'll forgive me.   
> I hope you all enjoy these next few chapters! Things are really heating up for our boys! 
> 
> As always, thank you SO much for reading and for your comments. They always make my day.   
> I hope you enjoy!

**“Dokugakuji!”** Lirin called as she ran up and leapt up onto his back, hugging onto him. 

He laughed, reaching back and ruffling her fiery orange hair. **“Hey squirt. What’s up?”** He asked, a light hearted smile on his lips and happiness in his eyes. He adored the moments that he got to spend with Kougaiji, Yaone and Lirin. After all, they were his family. 

She smiled brightly but shook her head with a laugh of her own as he ruffled her hair. **“Stoppit!”** She nudged his hand away then tightened her grip around his neck to keep from falling off. **“Kougaiji said he wants to talk to you. He’s in his room.”** Her big brother had let her go find Dokugakuji, knowing that his second in command wasn’t far from the prince’s side anyway. 

Dokugakuji offered a grin and tipped her over his shoulder, carrying her as he turned, heading back towards his lord’s side. He stopped when he saw Yaone standing outside of Kougaiji’s room and he frowned. _‘Okay… so this is clearly a meeting for just me and him… if Yaone isn’t going in she’s not going to let Lirin in for sure.’_ He frowned a little, confusion flashing across his features before he nodded once to Yaone and handing off the younger demon. **“I’ll see you both soon. Gotta see what’s got Kou all in a mood.”** He grinned, ruffling Lirin’s hair again to rid the redhead of her pout at the realization she was being left behind. She immediately laughed and squirmed to get away from his playful touch. 

**“Yeah, Okay… Make him be happy again okay? I wanna play with my brother when you’re done talking. He’s been in a pouty mood all day.”** She half requested half demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

Dokugakuji knew that the little princess was just worried for her big brother and it made Doku smile. He nodded once and gave a thumbs up sign to her. **“So he’s been in a pouty mood again huh? Sure thing kid. I’ll talk to him and help him out with whatever’s bugging him. If he’s got a bug up his ass I’ll help him figure out what’s wrong and stop it.”** The analogy made her laugh which he had hoped would happen and he grinned at Yaone who simply chuckled a little before taking Lirin’s hand and leading her away with words of games to play. 

As he walked into Kougaiji’s room he could see the prince standing by the tall windows with a scroll of paper in his hand. Kougaiji looked agitated… more so than usual. **“What’s up Kou? Lirin says you’ve been pouting all day. Something wrong? Is it that doctor again? Or the bitch?”** Dokugakuji would never, ever call that woman the queen. The queen was locked away and being used to blackmail his lord and best friend. And he would never call that woman who married Gyumaoh Kougaiji’s mother. That…. That just wasn’t okay. Not to him and certainly not with Kougaiji. 

Just hearing Dokugakuji mention Dr. Nii and his step-mother made his shoulders stiffen. **“No. It isn’t about them. I received this today from one of the youkai out on a patrol… Its from the Sanzo party.”** He said with a deepset frown on his lips as he held out the scrolled parchment towards Dokugakuji. His eyes were serious, more so than usual when speaking about the Sanzo party… which was saying a lot. He was always determined when it came to them. Always. Granted it was because he was being forced to fight them, but after fighting Goku he had an extra drive. Kougaiji was so much stronger now and it was something that Doku was proud of in his leader. But this? What was this about that brought out this strange deepness within Kougaiji. This strange… concern? In his eyes. **“It’s a message from the Sanzo party… demanding we tell them what we know about your brother.”**

Well that wasn’t what he was expecting. **“My brother? Gojyo? What, they want me to come and tell them all stories from when he was a bratty toddler or some shit? They know more about him at this point then I do and you guys don’t really know anything about him at all. What’s this about?”** He rose a brow, crossing his arms over his chest and trying to ignore the increasing tightness in his chest. 

**“No. Dokugakuji they say that he’s been taken captive by youkai and demand that we tell them what, if anything, that we know about the whole situation.”** The youkai prince looked completely unamused and yet there was a spark of concern in his eyes. Not necessarily for The redhead in question, but… for his friend. 

**“Wait… what do you mean? Gojyo was taken captive by youkai? What youkai? We don’t know anything about any of that though, why would they think that we would…”** He sighed, running his fingers through his short black hair, trying to calm his now racing heart. **“What do you want to do with this then Kou?”**

Kougaiji shook his head a little and gave the parchment to his right hand man and best friend. **“No. The question is what do You want to do? We’re technically supposed to be enemies, and If we find out that this group of youkai is one of Nii’s little experiments then we’re screwed if we get involved. Especially if they managed to get ahold of one of the Sanzo party and haven’t all died yet. But he’s your little brother. If this was Lirin that we were talking about…”** He trailed off, not able to put into words what he would do if someone had hurt his little sister. 

Dokugakuji understood though. If it were LIrin in trouble, possibly hurt or worse, Kougaiji would do anything to get her back and make sure she was safe. He would kill, maim, destroy, barter and give anything to get to her. Dokugakuji, despite their long time separation, would honestly do the same for his little brother. Sure they were technically enemies, but if he was actually in trouble for real? No. He wouldn’t let that happen. He would always step in and help him if he needed him. **“If you’re alright with it then, I’m gonna go talk to them, see what they know and I’m going to find my little brother. Look after the girls okay?”**

Kougaiji offered a very small smile and nodded once, his hand gently resting on Doku’s shoulder. **“Of coarse. See you soon. If you’re not back or don’t check in, in two weeks I’m coming after you. This whole thing just spells out bad news to me.”**

He couldn’t help but to laugh with that. A bright laughter that bubbled up from the pit of his stomach and came out into the air showing exactly how he felt. **“I’ll be fine Kou. But yeah, fine. If you insist.”** He offered a grin and gripped the rolled up parchment a little tighter. He squeezed Kougaiji’s shoulder in return before heading off to his own room to pack up a small bag and then board a dragon so that he could go and meet the Sanzo party. 

_‘Gojyo… what the hell man? What have you gotten yourself into now? You little twerp. You just can’t stay out of trouble can you?’_ He thought as he flew through the night sky on his pristine white dragon, a determination in his eyes, but fear coiling in his gut. Something was so very wrong here. What was he going to find when he finally did get to the Sanzo party? Why did they reach out to them? They’ve never done this before… why ask for help? The Sanzo party was more than capable of tracking down his little brother themselves… weren’t they? 

**“What the absolute fuck Gojyo?”**

He squeezed his knees on the dragon’s sides, prompting it to go faster. He couldn’t wait any longer. He had to figure this shit out. He had to know what was going on. He had to see his little brother. If this was a trap then fine. But at least if that was the case Gojyo would be alright and he could fight his way out. Something deep inside him though, said that wasn’t the case. 

As he landed on the ground a few feet from where the letter said the Sanzo party were camping, He could neither ignore the beating of his own heart nor the tension in the air. Something was terribly wrong here. He gently pat the dragon’s neck and, straightening his back, walked the few yards to where he knew would be the only clearing in the area. Clearly where the Sanzo party were camping.


End file.
